Lee Bowyer has been fined £600 and ordered to pay £1,000 costs after he admitted sparking an on-pitch brawl because former Newcastle United team-mate Kieron Dyer did not pass him the ball.

The 29-year-old, now with West Ham, pleaded guilty at Newcastle Magistrates' Court to using threatening behaviour after the pair were involved in an on-field confrontation in the 3-0 defeat by Aston Villa at St James' Park in April 2005. Both players were sent off for the incident.

The former England international was given a four-match ban by the Football Association, who then gave Bowyer a further three games and a £30,000 fine.

Bowyer was also fined six weeks' wages by the club -thought to be in the region of £200,000 - although Dyer was not fined as Bowyer was alleged to have thrown the first punch.

In a statement, Bowyer said the incident had been "blown out of all proportion".

The Wales and Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy has denied assaulting two women at a nightclub in February. Bellamy, who joined Liverpool on a four-year contract from Blackburn last month, was at Cardiff Magistrates' Court yesterday to face two counts of assault.

His solicitor, Matthew De Maid, told the court that Bellamy was "adamant" in his denials of the charges and wanted to clear his name. Bellamy was released on unconditional bail with his trial set for late August.